XP vs. Vista:
The abstract nature of the XP style allows for rich, vibrant colors and exaggerated
proportions since objects are not expected to appear as seen in everyday life. This
gives the charisma and personality that XP icons are well-known for. Other icon
families such as
Windows Vista Icons
take a different approach utilizing stereotypical colors of real-world objects in
order to help achieve a higher degree of realism. Some examples of this concept
would be using brown for boxes, white for paper, green for grass, etc. This is not
to say that XP Icons do not use literal colors, but rather that there is freedom
for a designer to take either approach.
Choosing the right Family:
When choosing an icon family, the key factor to consider is the target environment
in which the images will be used. Does your UI have a matte or glossy finish? Are
the colors dull or vibrant? Do you want a more abstracted or realistic look? The
personal preferences of the marketing, management, and design teams will often weigh
heavily as well. Availability of concepts is also important to consider; larger,
more comprehensive
icon libraries
are a good sign that there is ample support behind the product(s).
Specific Needs Require Specific Libraries:
In addition to foundational application sets, our XP icon line also includes industry-specific
packages covering areas such as Education, Accounting, Medical, and more. We helped
pioneer the industry-specific concept and were even first company to develop a collection
of
medical icons
for the software development community.
The Evolution of Windows Icons
Windows Icons
have certainly come a long way since version 1.0. We started with simple black and
white images and have now progressed to extraordinary 3D icons with 32-bit color.
Change keeps things exciting and allows design companies like us to stay in business.
Did you know?
We've been supporting the Microsoft Development Community since 2004 where we got
our start designing XP icons. Since then we've continued to break new ground with
creative Windows, Mac, and Custom icon families for developers of all platforms.